Southern Soil Fall Issue 2022, Vol 5

The Four Aunties: OKRA

by Matthew Raiford and Helen Rae Ladson

They came in the braids of Africans who were stripped, shackled, and placed head to foot in the belly of ships named White Lion, Monrovia, Clotilda, and Wanderer. Their voyages to the hinterlands from the west coast of Africa helped to create food ways that have evolved from survival food to delicacies that are coveted by even the richest of palates.

The P.O.W.R Aunts (peas, okra, watermelon, and rice) have been a source of sustenance since itsarrival upon the coastal shores of what is now known as the Gullah Geechee Heritage Corridor. In thisseries we will see the aunts as individuals and collectively.

Many have said that in the survival of the fittest, only the strongest survive. Before the end of this article, an amendment to this statement would include versatility as well as strength. Strong crops of West Africa include but are not limited to the koala nut and true yam (sweet potatoes are what we consume in North America) are still prevalent in West Africa but could not take root on the coasts of the original thirteen colonies.

The voyage that the Four Aunties endured through the Atlantic Ocean with several spots as far East as West shows that the ability to adapt to new environments has caused these former stowaways to reign in cuisines across the world.

Okra, abelmoschus esculentus or hibiscus esculentus, is a member of the Mallow family making it kin to hibiscus and cotton. This pod is usually known for its green hue, however there is a variation that is red and turns green when cooked.

Grown in sub-tropical regions, this plant produces a yellow hibiscus-like flower and grows year round with a pique in the summer months. Plants are said to grow to about six feet tall and is as durable as it is edible, firmer or harder pods are used to produce paper and binding rope.

The journey of okra begins in the Horn of Africa or Ethiopia and eventually followed the Red Sea to Egypt where it began cultivation in 12th century B.C. Quickly spread throughout North Africa and the Middle East okra was roasted, grounded and enjoyed as a coffee-like beverage. By the time okra reached the west coast of Africa, okra began making its trek through the Diaspora with a stop in the Caribbean where it thrived before its introduction to North America in the 1700’s.

Known as nkuruma in the Twi language, the pronunciation of okra derives from the Igbo people of Nigeria who refer to the pod as okuru. Okra’s French name is gombo and is the namesake of the Southern dish that is usually celebrated as a Louisiana food-way staple, but the name is a creolized descendant of the Bantu language’s guingombo or ochingombo.

There are those who shy away from partaking in

the consumption of okra, oftentimes it is due to the mucilaginous substance that is produced when okra is boiled or steamed. Although the sliminess may take many aback, it is filled with vitamin A, vitamin C, and is a great source of calcium and iron. The substance is also said to be used to strengthen hair follicles and nails. This juice is also used as a thickener in soups, which is found in customary dishes in India, Africa, South America, and parts of Turkey and Greece.

It is this thickening that caused okra to solidify its space in Southern Low Country cuisine; once the Creoles of Louisiana learned from the enslaved peoples of African descent who first introduced the pod to the eastern coast, it was mass used finding its way into Cajun dishes as well.

The great novelist and poet, Ntozake Shange, once rendered the challenge to, “free the okra, the way we freed the watermelon.” Like watermelon, okra has been stigmatized as “nasty” or “gross” by many who may have had a bad experience in youth. People might shy away from the pod because of its “slime” which is often viewed with disgust.

Unlike watermelon, okra’s only negative connotation is its appearance on a plate and has not been claimed as a food of shame in the African American community. In fact, if the properties of okra are no longer deemed as an offender of satisfaction, one could quickly discover okra in a form that causes the palate to sing its praises.

However, if one refuses to get past its reputation for sliminess, one may miss the opportunity to be transformed by the many ways that okra can be enjoyed. As a way to circumvent the production of too much of its juice, it is recommended that younger pods are used whole.

Okra is multifaceted and can be used as a side, compliment, or entree. It can be consumed raw, boiled, fried, pickled, grilled, sautéed, or can be ground into flour. Okra has traveled through time bringing both wellness and flavor! It has been the consistency that appeases the taste buds of many food connoisseurs beginning from antiquity to present day and continues to hold its place in the delicacies of Gullah Geechee people.

She is strong enough to bind things together, yet soft enough to soothe a hungry soul. She is okra, our Empress of Versatility.

Researching his cultural and culinary roots, Jon Jackson of Comfort Farms cultivates a variety of okra that originated in his mother’s home country of Liberia in West Africa. He has named this variety Motherland Okra in honor of that connection. In Liberia, okra is grown primarily for the leaves which are most often cooked in a stew.

These seeds can be purchased through Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds and you can learn more about Jon and his work at Comfort Farms in Milledgeville by visiting the website: stagvetsinc.org.